Lateral Lesson at Liberty

This is an example of how Vita and I have learned certain elements of movement. It begins with lots of belly scratches and a half-step and becomes a beautiful example of self-assured forward lateral movement.

She steps nicely under herself and discovered the bend in her body by herself and is developing self-carriage in her shoulders chest and neck while her hind-end works a little differently than it has before.
She is freeing up her shoulders (they are her weak point as you can see when she passes the leading fore behind in the beginning) and will perhaps lead to greater range of movement and comfort, allowing for more active work and greater self-carriage.

All work is done at liberty without tools, punishment, coercion, not even treats! Vita's greatest reward is receiving itches along her belly.

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• Horse
• lateral
• movement
• dressage
• classical
• liberty
• training
• ground
• work

[fleur4198]

Horse has big pains in the HEELS, in hoofs, - every moments it's placing legs more in front than than it should so that greater part of weight load will be falling upon the front part of the hoof but not on the heel, check it.... The sooner the better....

[IronFreePony]

@fleur4198 I trim her myself :-) If she had heel pain, she would stand under herself, weighting the toes rather than heels.

When I started trimming her, the heels were very high. I brought them down and there was no change in her posture. Now, I bring them down just to the level of the sole. She lands heel first while moving.

What she DOES have is a chronic problem in her shoulders, mostly the right. I believe it is high, having to do with the connection of the scapula to the ribcage.

[fleur4198]

Is it a SCRATCHING lesson.......

[IronFreePony]

@fleur4198 Yes, it is ;-)

[zipjeff44]

HOW ABOUT A FLY MASK for Vita?

[IronFreePony]

@zipjeff44 She has one that she wears during the day. I take it off when I am with her to see her beautiful face and to rub all the itchy places that it contacts her face.

Thank you for the positive and uplifting comment :-)

[tesyka95]

What an awesome video, annie!! Really gave me an idea to try this with Ink =) As you probably know he couldn't be touched before, but now we groom all the time and I really think this would work!

[fleur4198]

@IronFreePony Probably... But still her leg movements (especially flexion when making a step or changing feet) seem to me really disturbing... You know her better, that's right but i can't help seeing that the "chain" hoof-ankles-knees make a clear curve. I mean, to me, she DOES have pains in heels BUT also in toes so trying to find a balance and more or less comfortable position between these two pains she curves this "chain". You see?

She had all life in riding right? jumping probably?

[carlox50]

BRAVA!!!!

[equisader]

WELL DONE ANNIE AND VITA!

[princessofthehorses]

nice job Annie.

zipjeff44, really now. don't be an ass.